Paloma Rey: "In the face of the pandemic, I recommend maintaining a routine"

Anxiety problems are among the most frequent psychological disorders among the population. In fact, in certain areas they are so normalized that people make the mistake of not perceiving them as a reason to go to therapy.

However, situations such as the coronavirus crisis have made this psychopathological phenomenon trigger both in terms of the number of people affected, and in terms of the intensity of the discomfort. That is why it is important not to lose sight of the fact that behind the changes brought about by the pandemic are also those linked to people's mental health.

But... How far does anxiety problems go in the context of the COVID-19 crisis? And what can we do before them? To better understand this matter, we interviewed the psychologist Paloma Rey.

• Related article: "The 7 types of anxiety (characteristics, causes and symptoms)"

Interview with Paloma Rey: anxiety in times of coronavirus

Paloma Rey is a General Health Psychologist and attends in Valencia, as well as online by video call. In this interview, she talks to us about the way in which the coronavirus crisis is related to anxiety problems.

In your opinion, which aspects of the coronavirus crisis have the greatest potential as a triggers of anxiety problems in those who had already developed psychological disorders before of the pandemic?

We must take into account that this crisis did not happen gradually, but in a short period of time. Over time, numerous changes occurred that altered our lives and that we continue to suffer to this day. today.

The feeling of loss of control, the confinement we experienced in March and the fear of getting sick were, initially, the main triggers. However, as this situation persisted over time, factors such as uncertainty, the durability of the pandemic, preventive social isolation and abrupt separation from the family environment and social.

To all this we must add that, due to this crisis, a large number of people have lost their jobs and/or have seen their income considerably reduced.

This fact has favored the appearance of feelings of hopelessness and anguish that, undoubtedly and together with the aforementioned factors, have led to the appearance of anxiety problems, both in the population with psychological disorders that developed before the start of the pandemic and in people who had not manifested psychological difficulties previously.

Undoubtedly, the people corresponding to the first group are more susceptible to suffering from anxiety in the face of these factors as they have a predisposition to suffering from psychological disorders.

And to what extent is it easy for this context to lead people who had never presented symptoms of this type to develop anxiety disorders?

develop or not anxiety disorder It will depend, to a large extent, on the individual coping capacity of each person. We must bear in mind that the factors mentioned above together with the uncertainty of the duration of the pandemic may favor the appearance of anxious-depressive symptoms.

However, the resilience of each person and the quality of the external support they have will play a role. essential when it comes to making these symptoms chronic and, therefore, favoring the appearance of an eating disorder. anxiety.

Bearing in mind that in the case of Spain the coronavirus crisis overlaps with an economic crisis of which no we just came out, do you think its impact on the mental health of the population will be greater than in the rest of the countries of Europe?

Undoubtedly, although it is not the only factor that would affect the impact of the mental health of the population. Culture, climate, restrictions associated with the health crisis and/or external support are some of the factors that can contribute to a greater impact on mental health. Undoubtedly, economic instability favors the appearance of anxious-depressive symptoms.

Therefore, we must take into account that all those people who, prior to the coronavirus crisis, had economic difficulties due to the crisis have a greater predisposition to the appearance of these symptoms and, therefore, to their chronification and the trigger of a possible disorder.

However, we must not forget that all those people who have lost their jobs or who are in an ERTE situation can experiencing anxiety about the current situation and about the future, which can trigger, if psychological care is not received, a disorder.

Would you say that the existence of video call technology and the widespread use of the Internet help prevent anxiety problems in a context like this? It is possible that if this pandemic had occurred in the 80s its repercussions on mental health would have been even worse...

Absolutely, without access to the Internet and the use of the different platforms that have facilitated communication with other people, we would find ourselves with more intense anxious-depressive pictures. Thanks to them we have been able to maintain fluid contact with our loved ones and learn about their state of health (thus avoiding uncertainty about it).

In addition, we must not ignore the fact that numerous platforms, artists and companies have made access to a multitude of online content that favored leisure in groups or on an individual level, which made it possible to temporarily "disconnect" from the situation that we lived.

However, it is important to stress that we must make proper use of new technologies. The widespread use of the Internet allows access to information at any time and place. We must select specific moments to be informed and resort only to reliable sources. In this way, we will avoid the harmful effect of information overload and help prevent anxiety problems.

What therapeutic strategies and resources do you find most useful to help people with excessive anxiety due to the coronavirus crisis?

The main recommendation in case they experience these symptoms is to consult a psychologist who can guide them in their process. However, I believe that some strategies that can help reduce anxiety consist of, on the one hand, part, to detect the negative thoughts that favor the appearance of said emotion, and to put them into doubt.

Generally these thoughts are usually related to hypothetical situations that we do not know if they are going to happen. It is about trying to verify if what we are telling ourselves is one hundred percent true or, on the contrary, there are exceptions or other possible alternatives.

On the other hand, my recommendation is to identify and accept emotions. We tend to try to run away from them, as they generate a high level of discomfort. However, paradoxically, the more we try to avoid them, the more intense and long-lasting they become.

We must understand that the pandemic is a new and difficult situation for everyone, and that it has meant a great change at a social, personal and work level for all people. Adapting to this "new normal" is not easy at all, we have to gradually adapt and accept that changes are not always easy. It is normal to experience intense emotions such as anger, rage, frustration... they are part of the process and you need to allow yourself to feel them.

At the level of habits in the face of the pandemic, I recommend maintaining a daily and weekly routine and, from time to time, skipping it by doing different things (within the rules, of course).

Set daily and weekly activities with realistic, achievable, and short-term goals. This will help us to have a sense of control and daily achievement, to prevent the appearance of intense emotions and will help us to find meaning in life.

It is important that in this planning we include daily activities, such as work or study, leisure activities and those that cover our basic needs (hours of rest, healthy eating, physical activity and care of the hygiene).

Do you think that the general population is still poorly informed about the possibility of having professional help through online therapy?

I think the pandemic has given visibility to a multitude of online businesses and alternatives. In the case of psychology, it has highlighted the importance of mental health and the ease of receiving psychological care wherever you are.

In consultation, the main doubts about this type of therapy have been in relation to the work methodology. I explain to all my patients that the only difference is the setting in which the session takes place, that access to tools and materials is guaranteed by using methods adapted to the new technologies.